No Kobe was an easy target for the media. His off the court issues with the case didn't have anything to do with the "Kobe GM" drama. Those are two seperate issues. The media painted the picture that Kobe rode Phil and Shaq out because they had to blame someone for the Laker dynasty being dismantled. Kobe was the easy target and the scapegoat. Only now is the real story being told and it's a shame because Kobe was unfairly scrutized all season long. I'm glad you mentioned the Luke Walton play, it's a perfect example of why Kobe is damned if he does, and a damned if he doesn't. If Kobe takes that shot over two defenders and misses, the media would have ripped him for being a ball-hog, glory hound, selfish, not trusting his teammates, Jordan wanna-be etc. Instead Kobe made the right play passing out of the double team and positioning himself for the offensive rebound, but Luke choked and didn't take the shot. Then Kobe gets blamed for passing up a tough shot because he's supposed to be the clutch player on the team. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post">I think Kobe could maybe get some 5th place votes, but you'd Shaq, Nash, Duncan, Dirk, Tmac, Iverson, Lebron, Garnett and even Wade and Arenas could be easily put over Kobe. So considering just the first 8 players, it's pretty hard for Kobe to be getting votes for not winning much, his team going 2-19 to end the season, and not making the playoffs. </div> That's a good argument to not vote for Kobe, plus throw in Amare's name to that group above.
It's a shame that there has to be one MVP award and it's a shame that both could not get it together because they both deeerve it. I pick Shaq as the MVP mainly because he has made so much impact with the Heat and he has been a great influence to Wade and the role players. He has played like a man on a mission this year and he has been great leader. I wanted to see him win. Still, you can't go wrong with Nash. Huge props to Shaq for not going crazy about it. Shaq is professional enough to know that winning a championship is the only thing. Though I wonder if Shaq would have taken it well if his boy, Kobe won it all. I loved how Nash was so modest in the MVP. I liked how he invited his teammates to be with him in the press conference. That's what you call a class act.
